I'm always on the look out for a different walk, long or short, flat or hill and when I saw this one from Lauder I thought why not. Lauder is on of those places you tend to drive through on the way to somewhere else so it would be good to stop and explore. The weather was overcast, dry and unseasonable warm for December.
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| Lichen on the Hawthorns |
We parked off the high street on the north side and after crossing headed up an alley way just after the Flat Bannock. Once you reach the next road turn left and walk until you see the health centre on your right. Follow the path past the centre and play park heading down hill towards the Lauder Burn. At the bottom go through the gate and turn right keeping the burn on your left. The path takes you through the community woodland where you cross a wooden bridge, here the path is a bit muddy but not impossible. After a short walk you come to a wooden walk way, another bridge and a gate through to a field.
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| Path finder dog |
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| Bracken on the bridge |
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| A bit of black and white water, wood and stone |
The path you are on as originally built for carts to bring stone down from the quarry you will pass further on. Pass through the gate and head uphill, following the path between the gorse which had a few flowers on it even in December.
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| Gorse flowers in December |
As you climb the valley opens out and you get views back towards the town and the Lammermuir hills beyond. We are so out of practice walking up hills and were glad of the bench that sits over looking the valley in front of the quarry.
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| taking in the view |
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| Glad of a bench for a rest |
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| Some people just can't resist a dark hole in the rock |
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| Nature's own mosaic |
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| Further up the hill, looking back towards Lauder |
After the quarry the path takes a sharp left up the side of the hill, zig zagging until you reach the top and another handy bench (you'd think this was a mountain not a piddly hill with the state we were in). After a rest to enjoy the view of course we set of along the path which is art of the Southern Upland Way following the fence line to the stand of pine trees. From here the path follows the fence along the edge of Lauder golf course and the site of a Roman fort on Chester Hill. From here it's down hill all the way back in to Lauder following the road past the church and back onto the High Street. As I said a short walk at 2.5 miles, but pleasant if you are looking for an afternoon out.
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| Mature ivy |
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